


two roads diverged within the Holy Tomb

by SaraJaye



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angry Rhea, Choices, Crimson Flower, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route Spoilers, Friendship, Gen, Introspection, Pre-Femslash, Reincarnation, critical moment in detail, discussion of using people for soul jars, fork in the road
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:47:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27268981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: As a major choice looms before her, Byleth reflects on two women who've majorly impacted her life since her arrival at Garreg Mach.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg & My Unit | Byleth, implied Edelgard/Female Byleth
Comments: 1
Kudos: 27
Collections: Trope Bingo: Round Fifteen





	two roads diverged within the Holy Tomb

_Edelgard is the Flame Emperor._ The truth reverberates in her head as she slashes her way through the enemy, collecting Crest stones from their bodies, trying to make her way to the end before anybody else does. If she can just _speak_ to Edelgard, find out _why_ she's doing this.

 _She's fighting on holy ground, ransacking tombstones, she was behind so much of the recent tragedies._ That should be all the reason to put her down, right? Lady Rhea is angry, Edelgard betrayed the Church, her classmates, possibly even her lineage given House Hresvelg's history with the Church.

_But she's my student, she trusts me, she cares about me...dare I say it, we're friends._

"Professor, kill Edelgard at once," Lady Rhea commands. "She is wicked, and such a rebellious heart must not be allowed to continue beating."

She glances between the two women. One livid with anger, the other's gaze sharp and unwavering.

"In the end, it is my teacher who stands in my way," Edelgard says, and Byleth prepares to raise her sword in the name of the Goddess, the Church, and the holy scriptures. Sothis's power dwells inside her, and for a time so did Sothis herself; had Edelgard not interrupted the ceremony, she _would_ be Sothis by now. The Goddess would cut down anyone who defied her, so say the scriptures.

"Do it, Professor," Lady Rhea says. Lady Rhea, who took her in and gave her a position at the Academy despite her lack of experiece. Who taught her faith and sword skills, guided her through her first days at the monastery, deemed her worthy of wielding a relic.

_Edelgard, who confided in her, was harsh towards her but not without reason, shared meals with her, asked for advice, fought by her side in battle. Showed a rare softer side, even smiled, especially when a particularly cute cat walked by. Trusted her._

What Edelgard did was wrong, she keeps telling herself. _And Lady Rhea wasn't? This ceremony was meant to rob you of who you're becoming, to make you a vessel for a mythological figure._ And Byleth remembers waking up in Lady Rhea's lap, _sleep just a little longer, dear one, I will be watching you always._

A chill goes through Byleth as she glances towards the archbishop again. _Edelgard lied and attacked a holy ceremony, but Lady Rhea lied and intended to use you, all with a serene smile on her face. But would Edelgard's actions have erased you? Taken over your heart and mind to become something she wished of you?_

Edelgard was wrong. But in that moment, all Byleth can think of is how she came so close to no longer existing as herself, and she shivers again.

_I'm sorry, Lady Rhea._

She shakes her head, walking towards Edelgard's side. Edelgard blushes in surprise, Hubert thanks her.

Lady Rhea _snaps._ Somehow, they manage to escape before the creature she's transformed into can advance. Safely within the confines of a nearby fortress, Edelgard approaches her, cheeks still pink.

"Again, thank you...I didn't expect-" She shakes her head. "Never mind. Thank you. But...why? I would have thought for sure-"

Byleth takes her hands.

"You once asked if I would always be your teacher," she says. "This is my answer."

Edelgard's smile is worth a thousand Immaculate Ones coming after her.


End file.
